1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to displays for flowers, flags, and the like associated with a memorial stone, and more particularly, to a display especially adapted to be supported by the memorial stone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Oftentimes, people leave flowers, flags, and other items on memorial stones on various occasions (i.e. Memorial Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.). Such items can easily be blown down or fall to the ground. Moreover, items that are initially placed on the ground next to the memorial stones are most often picked up and removed by cemetery personnel after a relatively short period of time, such as a week or two. This is unfortunate because oftentimes the items, such as flowers or plants, are still alive, and may even be still growing. In this respect, it would be desirable if a display for items associated with memorial stones were provided that would not be placed on the ground and be removed by cemetery personnel.
In one attempt to overcome these problems, display devices have been permanently attached to memorial stones. Such permanently attached display devices must be ordered when the stone is made and are relatively expensive. In this respect, it would be desirable if a display device associated with a memorial stone were inexpensive and capable of being retrofitted to virtually any existing, in-place memorial stone.
Often the item associated with the memorial stone is a flower pot in which a planted flower can grow for a long period of time. In this respect, it would be desirable if a flower pot associated with a memorial stone were inexpensive and capable of being retrofitted to virtually any existing, in-place memorial stone.
Other display devices, associated with memorial stones, are disclosed in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,461 of Clark; U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,729 of Cooper; U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,859 of Letter et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,045 of Nesbitt et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,160 of Davis. More specifically, with the Letter el al and Davis devices, a flower receptable is integrally and permanently formed with a gravestone.
The devices of Clark, Cooper, and Nesbitt et al are devices that need not be permanently attached to a memorial stone. More specifically, the Clark device employs a complex structure comprised of metal rods and suction cups for securing a flower pot adjacent to a side edge of the memorial stone. It appears that four, small surface area containing suction cups are employed to secure the complex structure to the front and rear surfaces of the memorial stone. Aside from the fact that the Clark device is a complex array of metal rods, attachment of the Clark device to the front and rear surfaces of the memorial stone appears to be quite tenuous. There are a number of reasons why suction cups may not retain their suction. Two primary reasons are that the surface to which they are attached is relatively rough and not conducive to an airtight seal between the surface and the suction cup; and that the surface to which they are attached is somewhat slippery, permitting an airtight seal to be broken. In this respect, it would be desirable if a memorial-stone-attached container assembly would be provided which avoided the problems associated with devices which include a complex metal rod structure and suction cups.
The flower cup disclosed in the Cooper patent requires its support to penetrate the ground. It would be desirable, however, if a memorial-stone-attached container assembly did not include an element that must be driven into the ground.
The flower saddle disclosed in the Nesbitt et al patent must be attached horizontally to the memorial stone at its top, horizontal edge. As such, the bottom horizontal surface of the saddle is supported by the top horizontal edge of the memorial stone. The saddle is clamped onto the memorial stone at its horizontal edge. The configuration of the Nesbitt et al device prevents the device from being employed at a side vertical edge of the memorial stone. If the clamps were clamped straddling a side edge instead of a top edge, then all of the contents of the container would be dumped out of the container. Moreover, by supporting the flower saddle at its bottom horizontal surface, the flower saddle has a high center of gravity with respect to its horizontal support surface. The result is that this flower container is relatively unstable in the face of forces caused by high winds and rains that are perpendicular to the front or rear surfaces of the saddle. This instability could result in the Nesbitt et al container tipping over in a high wind. In this respect, it would be desirable if a memorial-stone-attached container assembly were provided that is relatively stable in the face of forces caused by high winds and rains that are perpendicular to the front or rear surfaces of the container.
As of interest, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,345 of Tebbe et al discloses a device for decorating a grave, not a memorial stone.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use a complex, rod-containing and suction-cup-containing device for supporting flowers on a memorial stone, the provision of a more simple and cost effective device is not contemplated. Nor does the prior art described above teach or suggest a simple and inexpensive memorial-stone-attached container assembly that is capable of being retrofitted to virtually any existing, in-place memorial stone. The prior art does not provide a simple and inexpensive flower pot associated with a memorial stone that is capable of being retrofitted to virtually any existing, in-place memorial stone. In addition, the prior art does not provide a memorial-stone-attached container assembly which avoids the problems associated with complex metal rod containing devices and suction cups. Neither does the prior art provide a memorial-stone-attached container assembly that is relatively stable in the face of forces caused by high winds and rains that are perpendicular to the front or rear surfaces of the container assembly.
The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the unique memorial-stone-attached container assembly apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.